Down and (almost) out: Arsenal were battered in Germany (Photo: Getty)

Three by half time, five by the end, Arsenal were ripped to shreds and, just to compound the agony, Olympacos beat Dynamo Zagreb leaving Wenger’s chances of reaching the knock-out stages hanging by a thread. They need a miracle now.

Robert Lewandowski started the rout after just ten minutes, Thomas Muller scored twice, David Alaba grabbed another and Arjen Robben scored barely 40 seconds after coming on as a substitute. It was that easy.

Make no mistake, Bayern were at their brilliant, devastating best. But this was also Arsenal at their very worst. Disorganised, a defensive shambles and a world away from the team which is capable of pulling off big results in the Premier League.

Pressure: Arsenal offered very little in and out of possession (Photo: REUTERS)

From the word go, Bayern looked in the mood as the magnificent Allianz Arena quickly became a torture chamber for Wenger who became increasingly distraught on the touchline.

Bayern’s opener was Sunday League stuff. Thiago Alcantara was given all the time in the world to curl in a lovely cross, Brazilian defender Gabriel stepped up and tried to play the offside trap.

Goal: Lewandowski ensured Bayern got off to the best possible start (Photo: REUTERS)

Head over heels: Lewandowski celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game (Photo: Reuters)

Just think about that for a second. Trying to play the offside trap against the deadliest striker in Europe. Needless to say, Lewandowski - with all the time in the world and in acres of space - headed powerfully past Cech.

The only time it looked vaguely as if Arsenal might make a contest of it came moments after the goal. Nacho Monreal set up Mesut Ozil who put the ball in the net but it was ruled out because it went in off his elbow to earn him a yellow card.

Bayern pinned Arsenal back and it was amazing that it took them until the 29th minute to get a second. Philipp Lahm sent over a right wing cross, Kingsley Coman miscued and then Muller scored with a low shot which deflected off Per Mertesacker.

A minute before the break, left back Alaba - who was a constant threat - cut inside and unleashed a 20 yard rocket which gave Cech no chance.

Just when Arsenal thought it could not get any worse, on came Robben, so often their tormentor in the past. This time it took him just 40 seconds to score, firing in Alaba’s low cross in off the crossbar.

Ambitious: Alaba's ambitious effort rifled into the roof of the net (Photo: REUTERS)

Goal of the night: Alaba's strike was one of the best in Europe this season (Photo: REUTERS)

Arsenal finally showed some fight when Alexis Sanchez’s pass found Olivier Giroud and the Frenchman - who had gone missing all night - chested the ball and then hit a sublime 69th minute volley with his left foot.

It was a peach of a goal which was out of keeping with the rest of the night.

Bayern could have scored more as Robben and Muller both went through but were denied by some desperate defending and Cech.

Moment of brilliance: Giroud found the net to claim Arsenal a consolation (Photo: REUTERS)

That was only a temporary reprieve as Muller made it five in the last minute as he raced clean through to equal Arsenal’s worst European defeat, the 4-0 thrashing suffered at AC Milan in 2012.